1,629 related texts · 12 related myths · Page 33 of 34
Our sages pondered just such a return, a return from exile so profound it would reshape the world. This vision is beautifully captured in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the commentary on th...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to Reuben and Creation of Egypt. The rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) see in this verse a powerful statement about the people of ...
The mystics of old certainly did. to a fascinating interpretation of a verse from the Song of Songs, a book overflowing with symbolism and hidden meanings. "Your branches [shelaḥay...
There's a fascinating little snippet in Shir HaShirim Rabbah – a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs – that touches on exactly that. The proof text? (Genesi...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to Angels Attend to Tatenai. The commentary first connects this verse to the rebuilding of the Second Temple. Who are these "sentries patrolling the city...
Here, Rabbi Yudan, in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Berekhya, in the name of Rabbi Abbahu, offer a powerful insight, focusing on the verse from Leviticus (20:2...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this, too. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, we find a fascinating story that touches on ...
Take the verse from the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, "How fair are your feet in sandals [bane’alim]," with its slightly unusual plural form, "sandals" [ne’alim]. What could that p...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah turns to Two Evil Inclinations God Created in the World. Rabbi Honya, quoting Rabbi Dosa bar Tevet, tells us that God created two yetzer hara (יֵצֶר הָרַע) – t...
Some verses in the Song of Songs sound almost too tender for angels. And then the midrash shows you that angels were exactly who they were meant for. Take (Song of Songs 7:10): "Yo...
A beautiful analogy, connecting the "vineyard" mentioned in Song of Songs to the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish high court. Why a vineyard? Because, as we learned in Mishna Eduyot, ...
Shir HaShirim Rabbah, specifically section 13, to unpack a verse that speaks to this very feeling: "Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spic...
Go back to the end of Exodus, to the detailed instructions for building the Mishkan. The text repeats, almost like a mantra, "As the Lord commanded Moses" (Exodus 39). Over and ove...
Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) text on the Book of Leviticus, dives into this very idea, using a beautiful analogy to explain how the To...
The Torah tells us of an agreement, a covenant, between God and the Israelites. But the details, as explored in Vayikra Rabbah, are far more intricate and, frankly, a little . Rabb...
The rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tackled this very question, and their answer might surprise you. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Hanan, both citing Rab...
Our Sages certainly did. They paid close attention to the nuances of the Hebrew language, believing that even a seemingly small word could unlock profound insights. In Vayikra Rabb...
In the beautiful pattern of Jewish tradition, the role of elders is absolutely fundamental. It’s a theme that echoes throughout our sacred texts. Vayikra Rabbah, specifically Vayik...
The ancient rabbis grappled with these questions too, and sometimes their answers can surprise us. to a passage from Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), a fascinating collection of ...
Disease is often remembered as random, a matter of bad luck. But what if certain behaviors, certain flaws in our character, actually pave the way for illness and hardship? That’s w...
Like, staring up at a mountain of laundry or a career change and thinking, "Where do I even begin?" Well, you're not alone. Our sages grappled with this feeling too, especially whe...
The story centers around Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, Moses' brother and the High Priest. These two weren’t just any ordinary guys. They were close to the top, practically J...
Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, explores this idea in a fascinating way. It begins with the v...
It teaches us that even the smallest injustice can have enormous consequences, echoing through the world and even impacting our relationship with the Divine. Our jumping-off point ...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Moses the Lawgiver of Israelites. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection, quotes Job (37:21), "Now they do no...
It’s about something far deeper: our relationship with the Divine. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, offers some stunni...
Surprisingly, the ancient Rabbis found clues in the most unexpected places – even in the words of the wicked Pharaoh himself! It's a fascinating idea, isn't it? That even through t...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Torah as a Tree of Life You Must Not Treat Like a Spade. Rav Huna, citing Rabbi Aḥa, offers a powerful analogy. He warns us not to treat Torah like a desper...
It touches on themes of covenant, perfection, and even the very nature of blessing. to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tex...
Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, tells a parable. Imagine an Israelite and a Kohen, a priest, both suffering from epilepsy. They seek help from a skilled doctor, but the doctor ...
It might seem random, but Jewish tradition offers a fascinating explanation, one rooted in rumor, reputation, and divine forgiveness. Our story begins with the prophet Hosea, who s...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to The Righteous God Who Knows the Needs of Every Animal. Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, connects this seemingly simple law to (Proverbs 12:10): “The righ...
These questions, It starts with a verse from Leviticus (23:10): “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come to the land that I am giving to you, and you reap i...
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, quoting Rabbi Levi, starts us off with a rather blunt assessment of humanity, citing (Psalm 62:10): “People are nothingness; men are but deceit; they rise tog...
It offers us not just one, but three opportunities for a fresh start each year during the High Holy Days season. How does it all work? Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash on the book of Levi...
It uses the four species taken on Sukkot, the Festival of Tabernacles, as a metaphor for the Jewish people. It comes from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive comment...
There's a profound reason why. Rabbi Yitzḥak opens Vayikra Rabbah 31 with a powerful image, quoting (Psalms 119:140): “Your saying is exceedingly pure, and Your servant loves it.” ...
Vayikra Rabbah imagines Moses ascending into a heavenly debate over Torah, wisdom, and power. The tradition turns to Vayikra Rabbah, specifically chapter 31. This Midrash, a collec...
Rabbi Ḥiyya, in Vayikra Rabbah 31, makes a point of stressing that it's specifically olive oil that’s important. Not sesame, walnut, turnip, or almond, but "olive oil from your oli...
Take, for instance, the story in Vayikra Rabbah 31, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus. It focuses on Aaron, the High Priest, and his rol...
The ancient sages did, too. And they found wisdom in the balance. Rabbi Tanhum ben Rabbi Hiyya, a wise teacher of old, opened his heart with a verse from Ecclesiastes (7:14): “On a...
The Torah touches on this profoundly, urging us not to ignore the suffering of others. It's more than just a nice idea; it’s a core principle woven into the fabric of Jewish ethics...
You're not alone. Our tradition recognizes this struggle, this internal tug-of-war. And it offers a powerful image to understand it. The text Specifically, it's from section 35. It...
Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, tackles this very question. And it does so with a story – a really compelling one. It starts with...
“How does the greatly crowded city sit alone? She has become like a widow. Great among the nations, a princess among the states: She has become a vassal” (Lamentations 1:1).“How [e...
When Rabbi Yosei of Milḥaya died, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish went up to perform an act of kindness136They went to participate in the funeral. and Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka went up w...
“May it not befall you, all wayfarers. Look and see: Is there any pain like my pain, which has been done to me, with which the Lord has tormented me on the day of His enflamed wrat...
“And did not remember His footstool [hadom raglav],” Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He does not remember that blood [hadam] that was between the legs of the...
